[Prevalence of pressure ulcers of patient in home visiting nursing service].

PURPOSE: To determine prevalence and risk factors for pressure ulcers of subjects in visiting nursing service stations.

METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Data were collected by a mail survey questionnaire from 934 visiting nursing service stations that were listed in "Visiting nursing service stations list" in September 1995.

RESULTS

Responses from 620 visiting nursing service stations were obtained (collection rate 66.4%). The sample consisted of 23,500 subjects, with a pressure ulcer prevalence rate of 14.6% (n = 3,441). Furthermore, the prevalence was 15.1% (n = 3,177) in the elderly of 65 years and older (n = 21,020). The observed prevalence among visiting nursing service stations ranges from 4.8% to 24.1%. In subjects with pressure ulcers, there were high rates of cerebral vascular diseases, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, urinary organ system diseases, and senility. On the other hand, subjects without pressure ulcers, had high rates of ischemic heart diseases, chronic respiratory organ diseases, and mental disease. The total number of pressure ulcers that were observed in 3,441 subjects was 5,158 and the number of the pressure ulcers per person was 1.64. The level of depth of I, II were observed at around 40%.

CONCLUSION

The number of elderly people who necessitate medical treatment or nursing care in homes will be increasing in the future. A survey is needed to develop a program that will be efficient in early detection and care of pressure ulcers.